Video Shot on the iPhone 4S

Not filmed by me.  I'm not a cool surfer type.  But shit, the quality is awesome.

And you thought you just wanted one for Siri.


A video shot on the iPhone 4S from Benjamin Dowie on Vimeo.

iOS5 - The Twitter Perspective

It's been an odd week on Twitter before, during and since the release of iOS5 for iPhone and iPad.  Those of us with one, the other, or both have been talking about it and the subsequent release of the new iPhone 4GS all week long.  Much to the annoyance of some.  In fact the negativity has been exceptionally high with some seeming to take real offence at people tweeting about the new operating system.

While I was working today, in and amongst all the technology, I pondered whether it was a bit sad to be so excited over a firmware upgrade or the prospect of a phone that talks back to me.  On some level I guess it is.   There are a million and one other things to worry about, but isn't that the point?  The iPhone upgrade isn't something to worry about, it's something to enjoy.  In a world where every news story is a bleak one and celebs turn into freakish bodybuilders over night, isn't it worth celebrating something, however simplistic it is on the surface, that makes folk smile?

Apple are the masters of preaching to the converted but I defy anyone to witness Siri working and not grin like a loon.  It is truly amazing that the first time we have that kind of tech it's built into a mobile phone's operating system.  

So is it jealousy?  Is there a swathe of iPhone envy?  A torrent of Android users convinced their phones do everything better?  All of that I think, but what really makes a difference is the gang mentality.  You have an Android and so does the guy opposite over the coffee cups during your tea break.  But you don't have the same brand of phone.  You have an HTC, he has a Sony.  There's no natural bond there, no sense of identity.  Sorry, I know it's ridiculous, but iPhone users have that.  We're all updating our iPhones this week.  Most of us are figuring out when and how we'll upgrade to the 4GS.  We've all been looking at iCloud.  We're all watching our iPhones synch to our computers wirelessly.  We're all trying out iMessage.  iPad users are playing with their new keyboards.  There's commonality.  Which leads to a bond.  Which is gonna lead to tweets.  

Q) What's wrong with sharing your excitement over finding the clever new dictionary embedded in iOS5?

A) Fuck all.

The Playstation Phone...

How every tech company must hate Engadget.  You spend a year or so working on your Top Secret new product, that probably has a blue light on it, and along they come with a picture, splaying it all over their gadget laden, secret busting website.  They're basically Wikileaks for the geeks.

And today the Playstation Phone is unveiled.  Oh how exciting.  Or is it?

Until more details are revealed it's hard to really make a judgement on it but I can't help but feel that Sony are more than a tad off the pace here.  The starting gun went off three years ago, they slipped on their shiny black shoes, landed on their pristine LCD face, blue light blinking, as the rest, well Apple and Google, sped off at a rate of knots developing mobile devices that people actually wanted.

Don't get me wrong the idea of a PSP combined with a phone is not a bad one, it's just that it's an old idea and one that most of us have moved on from.  The desire to have a PSP in my pocket that I can also send a text or tweet from is long gone.

I'm sure the finished article will be a great product but Sony missed a beat here several years ago.  Pity.  Now if it was a mini PS3 with a phone I might be interested.  I wouldn't be really, *strokes iPhone*.

Google Chrome - Speed Tests

Pointless advert but Chrome is quick just sayin'.

The Orange Facebook Fail

Today, most people with a mobile phone on the Orange network could not connect to facebook.  By the sounds of things facebook blocked someone for abusive behaviour, but blocked the IP address for their phone, something which, unfortunately, is shared between many many users on each network.  Brilliant.

The Wilderness Downtown

If you do one thing today, make sure it's this.  Click on the pic to go to the site, enter your home town and sit back and watch.  It's not going to work on a mobile and you're going to need an HTML5 enabled browser like Chrome or Safari to run it.  It's worth it though.  Amazing stuff.

Ring Tones for Free on your iPhone

If you've got a Mac you've been able to use Garage Band to make your own ring tones for an age.  However, if like me you're not as Appled up as you'd like to be and are using a PC, it is possible to make your own from any song in your iTunes library.  It's a little fiddly, but I did it this afternoon, with out my brain falling out of my head, so it can't be that tricky.  Find out how at Mashable.

The First Goodbye of the Week

Most of you know I work in a department store somewhere South of somewhere in a Country some of you know and love as dear old Blighty.  Those of you that weren't aware of that are now.  I work on an Audio and TV department and have done for the last four years.  Three months before I joined Audio & TV the Sony stereo above made it's début.

I ♥ My iPhone

My actual home screen!

There was always a good chance I was going to love it and four months after getting one I am still besotted.  Why?  Read on...

iPhone 4G - Star Wars style

iPhone 4G - Houston we have a problem... or two.

I've not got one, but I know a fair few who have.  Apparently there are some that are having screen issues and others are struggling with network coverage because the new silver casing is the aerial, and if you hold it in a certain way it shorts the connection.

iOS4 - Review

My iPhone
Yes it needs a charge.

It took a while to download last night... just the three hours including installation, but today I've had a chance to have a full play with the new iPhone operating system (iOS4).  And what fun that has been!

Toshiba Libretto - Kinda cool iPad rival

Cool.  But limited run?  Odd.  3D Laptop is cool though.  

iPhone 4G

via Apple

After months of rumours we finally got the Apple key note and Mr Jobs (his name still makes me chuckle, Jobs, tee hee) gave us the low down on his new toy that WE ALL MUST HAVE!

The iPed

The iPad already has a Chinese clone.  $105 dollars though and running off of Android.  Tempted?

First iPad Commercial

via Mashable.

Some geek from Mashable recorded this off of his telly last night in the States.  

It's a bugs life.

flight patterns from Charlie McCarthy on Vimeo.

via The Life Browser

The flight patterns of bugs beneath a street lamp. Short but beautiful.

iPhone

Finally I have one.  It's only been a year of waiting for a contract to expire and Orange announcing late last year that iPhone was coming to their network.  Yesterday I took the plunge and within half an hour of leaving the Orange shop my new love was working.

Man uses Wii Controllers to play robot drums...

Seriously, I'm not kidding.

Ok you probably watched for about a minute, but this bit, which shows how he does it, is really cool.  Well geek cool anyway.

via Popsci.

Green Screen Cleverness

via YouTube.

Fricking clever stuff.